Premier Redford says Alberta will try to find common ground with Quebec

Kelly Cryderman, Calgary Herald09.06.2012

Quebec elected premier Pauline Marois reacts as she comments on the tragic events of the previous evening during a news conference following her victory Wednesday, September 5, 2012 in Montreal. A lone gunman shot and killed a man outside the party's victory rally Tuesday night.

Related

CALGARY — Premier Alison Redford says although the Parti Quebecois victory has thrust the issue of national unity back into the Canadian consciousness, Alberta will reach out to the new Quebec government to try to work on common issues such as the economy.

“My message to people who are living in Quebec is that we are very proud of the fact that Quebec is part of Canada, and very proud of the fact that we are a bilingual nation,” she said speaking to reporters in Calgary.

Thousands of kilometres and, more often than not, a wide chasm in political ideology have separated the two provinces. However Redford — the first Alberta premier to speak French — congratulated Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois on her electoral win and said she looks forward to speaking with Quebec’s premier designate in the days ahead.

The Alberta premier also said the election of a PQ minority government doesn’t diminish her ambitions for a Canadian energy strategy — saying the plan is a means of promoting economic growth across the country.

“My sense is (the economy) was a very important issue in the election in Quebec, and I hope to be able to explore those opportunities with her. But I don’t have anything else to say on that right now.”

The separatist victory in Quebec also marks the end of a nine-year Liberal reign headed by Premier Jean Charest — an old friend of Redford’s.

“He is a tremendous Canadian and put a tremendous campaign together,” Redford said of Charest. “But I am the premier of Alberta and I want to work with every premier across the country.”

Redford said she was watching the results of the Quebec election with her daughter Sarah and told the 10-year-old the dialogue around separation and Canadian unity is an issue the country has grappled with for decades.

Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith also weighed in on the Quebec election, saying while Quebec might share some of the same aspirations as Alberta — such as the desire to see Ottawa stay out of areas of provincial jurisdiction — there will likely be “terse” discussions between the provinces and Ottawa leading up to a new equalization agreement in 2014.

Equalization will redistribute about $15.4 billion in federal tax dollars this year to every province but B.C., Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta. Smith noted Quebec has a number of high-expense programs — such as low post-secondary tuition rates Marois has vowed to keep in place — paid for with help from federal equalization dollars.

“In Quebec they cannot continue to talk about independence when they’re so financially dependent on Ottawa, and in particular Alberta, to be able to fund social programs they can’t afford to pay for themselves,” Smith said.

University of Alberta professor emeritus Ken Munro, who specializes in French Canadian history, said while Alberta and Quebec might be able to agree on a few smaller issues, overall “Redford’s vision of Canada is very different than the Marois vision — even though Redford might want more provincial control in certain areas.”

Marois also called for Quebec “energy independence” and significant reductions in gasoline consumption during the campaign, which Munro said doesn’t bode well for Redford’s push for new pipelines.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the premier also addressed the shocking political violence in Quebec on election night that saw two men shot, and one killed, as the PQ celebrated its win. A 62-year-old man is in custody in relation to the shooting.

Redford said she trusts her security detail to make decisions regarding her safety but the shooting has been on her mind. “I have to say, I did wake up this morning thinking a little bit about that.”

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Share

Premier Redford says Alberta will try to find common ground with Quebec

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.